IND vs SA: Rohit Sharma Breaks World Record For Most Sixes in ODIs, Surpasses Shahid Afridi

A historic moment in Indian cricket came during the first ODI between India and South Africa in Ranchi on November 30, 2025.

A historic moment in Indian cricket came during the first ODI between India and South Africa in Ranchi on November 30, 2025. This was when Rohit Sharma broke Shahid Afridi’s long-standing world record for hitting the most sixes in ODI cricket history. The 38-year-old Indian opener is also known as the Hitman. He has also shown why he is considered one of the most destructive white-ball batsmen in the game.

Rohit entered the series with 349 sixes, just two sixes away from Afridi’s 351 sixes. It was only a matter of when the record would change, and the people of Ranchi were lucky to see him alive.

A Record That Defines an Era of Power Hitting

Shahid Afridi’s record of 351 ODI sixes from 1996 to 2015 remained a landmark for more than a decade. The Pakistani all-rounder left his mark on the strike, especially on the ground and at mid-wicket.

But Rohit Sharma has taken the ability to hit sixes to a new level with his impeccable timing and effortless power. Unlike brutal slogging, Sharma’s sixes have grace, elegance and a sense of timing. In short, a unique combination rarely seen in limited-overs cricket.

How Rohit Broke the Record: Over-by-Over Timeline

During the first ODI against South Africa:

Rohit hit two back-to-back sixes off spinner Prenelan Subrayen in the 15th over, leveling Afridi’s record.
Moments later, he pulled Marco Hansen over deep square leg to surpass Afridi and become the new world record holder.
With three sixes in the innings, Rohit rose from 349 to 352 career ODI sixes.

The Ranchi crowd erupted in celebration, and Indian fans across the world took to social media to commemorate the milestone.

Most Sixes in ODI Cricket: All-Time List

Rank	Player	Country	Sixes	Matches
1	Rohit Sharma	India	352*	277
2	Shahid Afridi	Pakistan	351	398
3	Chris Gayle	West Indies	331	301
4	Sanath Jayasuriya	Sri Lanka	270	445
5	MS Dhoni	India	229	350

Record increasing: Rohit Sharma is still active in ODI cricket.

The difference becomes even more impressive when you consider the number of innings played. Rohit achieved this record in just 277 matches, while Afridi needed 398 matches.

Six-Hitting by Rohit Sharma-What’s So Special about It?

Rohit’s success isn’t simply brute force but rather the combination of:

Practice timeless technique with a balanced stance.
Supreme hand-eye coordination
Can read bowlers early
A wide power-hitting arc against both pace and spin
Tactical aggression, only accelerates if required

He has smashed sixes in every region of the ground but is especially dominant:

Over long-on and long-off
Over deep mid-wicket
LOUDPull shot over square leg with his signature.

In fact, many critics believe no player in modern cricket pulls the ball better than Rohit Sharma.

Dream Year Continues for Rohit Sharma

The six-world-record tally is not the talking point of 2025 for the Indian opener.

This year he:

Led India to the Champions Trophy title.
Completed his 60th ODI half-century
Became the first player to make three ODI double centuries
Completed 10,000 ODI runs earlier this year

Rohit has largely stayed away from Tests and T20s and has focused solely on ODIs. This is a format where he is thriving with consistency and maturity.

performance in Ranchi – More Than Just a Record

Although the focus was on the six-hitting milestone, Rohit Sharma played a meaningful innings in the context of the match. He scored 57 runs, which strengthened India’s top order and gave momentum to the innings on a difficult surface.

He completed his 60th ODI fifty, becoming the sixth batsman in history to score 60 or more half-centuries.

The applause at the JSCA Stadium was not just for the world record, but also for the longevity, dominance and constant hunger of the Indian cricket icon.

Reactions Across the Cricketing World

Tributes poured in from the cricket fraternity:

Former cricketers praised Rohit, saying that he has turned power-hitting into an art.
ans celebrated the moment as the handover of ODI six-hitting supremacy from Afridi’s era to Rohit’s.
Memes, reels, fan arts flooded social media, trending #Hitman #RohitSharma.

Legendary Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi also congratulated Rohit. He called the new world record “a milestone that is well-deserved and written in class”.

What this record means to ODI Cricket?

Rohit Sharma’s feat is something above an individual milestone, symbolizing:

How ODI cricket has evolved into a fearless, high-scoring format
The rise of aggressive openers into match-defining assets
A shift from survival mindset to strike-rate domination

Selectors and analysts are debating the relevance of ODI cricket in the T20 era. Players like Rohit Sharma are proving that 50-over cricket is alive, exciting and evolving.

Conclusion

The Ranchi ODI will always be remembered as Rohit Sharma officially became the player to hit the most sixes in ODI history. Records may eventually be broken, but some milestones become moments and some moments become history.

And the Hitman wrote cricket history on November 30, 2025.

FAQs: Questions & Answers

Q1. Rohit Sharma now has how many sixes in ODI cricket?

As of the Ranchi ODI against South Africa on November 30, 2025, Rohit Sharma has 352 ODI sixes to his name.

However, as he is still active in ODI cricket, this number will continue to increase, which will strengthen his lead.

Q2. Who held the record for most ODI sixes before Rohit Sharma?

This record was previously held by Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi, who hit 351 sixes in 398 matches between 1996 and 2015. Rohit surpassed Afridi in 121 fewer matches, in which he showed his best six-hitting efficiency.

Q3. How quick did Rohit Sharma break the world record?

Rohit achieved this feat in his 277th ODI match and 270th innings. No batsman has reached the milestone of hitting 350 sixes in ODIs so quickly.

Q4. Will anybody ever break Rohit Sharma’s sixes record?

It is possible but very difficult. Only a few active players have the chance, and none are close at present. Rohit also maintains a high fitness level and does not seem close to retirement.

Q5. Where does Rohit Sharma rank among the greatest ODI batters of all time?

Rankings are subjective, but Rohit’s ODI resume comprises:

Most sixes in ODI history
Three double hundreds – most by any player
Member of multiple ICC tournament-winning teams
More than 10,000 ODI runs Based on numbers, impact, and legacy, Rohit Sharma is undoubtedly among the top five greatest ODI batters in history.